


When It Rains, It Pours

by lemonade_tea



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gender-Neutral Frisk, Minor Original Character(s), Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Racism, Rating May Change, Reader Is Not Frisk, Selectively Mute Frisk, Slow Burn, Swearing, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, reader is a Mess, reader is female
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2018-09-14 12:05:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9180724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonade_tea/pseuds/lemonade_tea
Summary: All was well with the world. You had managed to get yourself a steady job, a roof over your head, and a person who actually cared about your well being. The day people started disappearing out of the blue was the moment everything around you started changing.For better or for worse, you weren't sure.





	1. Branches

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first go at writing on this site. So.. uh, I'll leave this here. Also, I haven't written anything in years so forgive me if I'm a bit rusty still.
> 
> Thank you for reading!

_Thunk._

_Thunk._

_Thunk._

The continuous thunking didn't cease its onslaught.

Fragile branches belonging to the assailant remained bare, their leaves having fallen long ago. You took notice of the way they hit the glass window each time with seemingly more force than last time. Past you would have regarded them as unsettling, but the creepy aura they once held did nothing to upset you anymore.

You could hear people talking in practiced lines, chipper manner contrasting with monotonous voices. It seemed the evening news were being broadcasted. The sounds served more as background noise rather than anything else. You couldn't remember the last time you tuned in to actually _listen_ to the reporters on TV.

The all too familiar beeping of the coffee machine pulled you back to reality. You reached out a hand mechanically and turned it off in one swift motion. After reaching to your left for the mug, you poored some of the liquid into it. The sweet aroma of caffeine hit your nose instantly, making you hum in contentment after a tentative sip.

You huddled closer into yourself, your eyes flicking to the screen with mild interest. While you couldn't pay attention to most of what they were saying there was a figure however that caught your eye. You shifted the weight on your feet and fiddled with the remote until you managed to turn up the volume.

_"–Local authorities are at a loss as to how to deal with the increasing number of missing persons reports. Earlier this afternoon, the representative of monsters, king Asgore Dreemurr, made a bold statement concerning the issue."_

You took another sip of your coffee, your eyes glued to the goat monster on TV. Despite him being taller than most humans he didn't give off a menacing vibe in the slightest.

He was seen more often on the news now than when the barrier had first broken. Some times he was alone, whereas others he was side by side with queen Toriel.

Though you were uncertain about what the relationship between the two was, you often wondered why the queen's smile looked so strained whenever they were standing together for an interview.

_"This is truly a terrible time for both monster, and human kind, respectively. But the matter is being looked into. We are currently doing everything in our power to resolve the issue before it gets completely out of control. I assure you every single person will be found, in time. Don't lose hope quite yet."_

_"Now, a check on the weather. Joan–"_

The rest was a blur. Your coffee mug was devoid of coffee not long afterwards. It was set near the sink, joining various cups and dishes that took up space there.

You'd think that after three years of trying to achieve social integration humanity would have accepted the monster population to some degree. Equality was still out of reach, and monsters remained a minority group, which shouldn't really come as a surprise.

While basic monster rights were established a year after their arrival on the surface, it was still a long and painful procedure that took an enormous amount of effort to become reality.

Two years later and monsters were not allowed in certain areas, jobs were still hard to get, and interspecies relationships between humans and monsters were looked down upon.

A sigh blew past your lips. Your eyes were threatening to flutter close, but you knew sleep would not come to you no matter how much you tried to rest.

A hand came up to the side of your neck and attempted to soothe the aching muscles a bit. You closed your eyes distractedly, taking a mental note to actually save up some money for a new mattress.

The ring of the doorbell made you jump in surprise, the motion sending a jolt of pain to your already stiff neck.

You made your way over to the door, being extra careful not to make any sudden movements, and you opened it with an expecting smile.

An anthropomorphic bunny stared back at you for a mere second before offering a smile of her own.

After quick observation, you noticed she was dressed more casual than usual. Even with plain jeans and a knit sweater she still managed to look stunning. It was so effortless. Her fur was shining in the dim light of the hallway, not even a speck of hair astray.

One day you were going to ask her how it glistened in such a way.

But that probably would have sounded weird so you decided to store the thought away.

"Sophie, hi!" Voices could be heard in the background as the weather forecast signalled there would be heavy bouts of rain throughout the week. "Just give me a sec."

You dashed off back into the apartment and after making sure you had switched off all lights and electronic devices, you grabbed your keys and shoved your phone into your back pocket, before making your way over to the front door.

Sophie stood there, in the same spot as you had left her, waiting ever so patiently for you. How could you forget about watching the kid, _again?_

With shaking hands you locked the door successfully and gestured for her to lead the way, even though it was unnecessary. The short walk to the flat downstairs had been engraved in your memory by now.

Still you allowed her to lead you there.

A comfortable silence fell between the two of you as you walked.

"Thank you so much for doing this. It's been so long since I've had a day off."

You honestly didn't mind at all, considering how nice she'd treated you ever since you moved in. You couldn't do enough to return the favor in any way you could. She showed you nothing but kindness from the beginning, and for that you were grateful. Most humans wouldn't even bother _greeting_ their neighbours, let alone befriend them.

At first, she used to go out of her way to start conversation with you. Casually talking about everything and nothing at all here and there. At the time you appreciated the effort she'd put in in attempt to make friends with you.

Whenever you didn't leave your apartment for days she would knock on the door to ask how you were doing, before calling you over for tea. It was sweet, the fact that she cared so much, especially since she'd known you for such little time.

Monsters were the kindest people you ever had the chance to interact with. You couldn't help but wrack your brain over it sometimes, how most humans around the area addressed them in such hateful ways.

But then again humanity always had a hard time accepting anything outside the 'norm'.

Images of the people reported missing flashed to your mind. You couldn't help but imagine what their families must have been thinking right about now. A shiver ran up your spine.

The negative thoughts were pushed firmly in the furthest corner of your mind, and instead you sent a reassuring smile to the woman next to you. "It's no problem, really. Cali is a great kid."

You left out the part about how you didn't have plans for anything that evening. Not that you ever had plans. Apart from your two neighbours and the fleeting conversations you had with your co-workers from time to time, you didn't have many people to talk to.

You truly lacked in the socializing department, you realized.

Sophie's eyes lit up at the mention of her little one, and she looked at you in a way you couldn't describe with words. You halted to a stop.

"Make sure she doesn't stay up late, and don't hesitate to call if you need anything, okay?"

You picked out the spare key to the apartment and unlocked their front door. A smile tugged on the corners of your lips. "Got it, boss."

She ushered you inside with her paws, her voice taking on a strict tone when she called out to her daughter. "Baby, I'm leaving. Be good to _______, okay?"

"Yes, mommy." You heard a meek voice answer back. She was in her room it seemed.

The woman beside you sighed, her tired eyes eyeing the kids room with uncertainty. It was your turn to usher her.

"Go." You commanded in a hushed whisper, motioning for her to leave. Somehow, it worked. "And be careful." You added hesitantly, after making quick eye contact with her.

She caught on in an instant and reassured you she'd be fine. So you bid her goodbye, and headed inside.

A wave of warmth enveloped you at the first step.

You stayed there, leaning against the closed door for a second. Their house never failed to make you feel at home. The smile was still playing on your lips as you trailed the framed pictures on the wall.


	2. The Comedian

Fingers tapped against the counter, the sound lulling you to sleep. Had you been fully rested, it would have infuriated you. The soft pitter-patter of the rain outside didn't do its part in keeping you awake either. As much as you appreciated slow rainy days, all it served to do at the moment was make you regret going to work in the first place.

You hadn't realized how much noise you were actually making until the lady who worked the other cash register shot you a strange look. She sneered when you caught her eye.

The tiny pocket mirror she was holding in her hand made you wonder if she could notice you staring at her. It wasn't like you cared about her opinion of you anyway, if she did catch you. She was always this rude to you. Her eyes didn't leave the mirror once while she checked her makeup.

So she hadn't seen you. _Good._

You thought about sneaking a look at your phone and checking the time. It wasn't like there was anyone around to supervise you.

7:19 am, huh.

...

Maybe, _just maybe_ , it wasn't such a good idea to have your phone out while you were working. If your manager did see you slacking off, you would never hear the end of it. They were most likely in their office at the moment, but still. Better to be safe than sorry, as they say.

You also didn't want to lose another job, you reminded yourself. You always did that, taking something for granted, and then blaming yourself when said thing was taken away from you. That, and there were only so many job opportunities in a city like this.

Merely five minutes had passed since you checked the time.

You kept reassuring yourself that patience was key to surviving through the day.

Only eight hours left to go.

It really wasn't a short period of time when you thought about it, was it?

You managed to stop yourself before continuing further with that train of thought. It was too early in the morning for thinking. Five hours of sleep certainly weren't enough for you to be able to function properly, and the fact that the day was uneventful didn't help much to better your mood.

Well, it had been pretty boring so far, but it was still rather early.

 

The hours passed by successfully. A few customers would come and go, but it had generally been a quiet day. You were so grateful that none of them had approached your cash register in the slightest. Part of you was hoping they would though. You needed to make yourself useful or else you were sure you were going to fall asleep standing up at this rate.

You fixed the apron that was tied around your waist a little in a sad attempt to look busy.

Then the whoosh of the automatic doors opening echoed through the air. At first there was stomping, and then the light shuffling of feet across the floor.

The two skeleton monsters that waltzed in weren't the crowd you were expecting to see, to be honest. Upon closer inspection, you noted that they were indeed walking around, very much alive.

You nearly jumped out of your skin when one of them started talking. _Fuck_ , you had to stop doing that. You were in need of a serious intervention.

"SANS!! AT LEAST _TRY_ TO KEEP UP, PLEASE." The frustration was evident by the way he formed the words. Somehow, it sounded like it was a daily occurrence he had to deal with.

The high pitched voice cut through the silence easily. It didn't help to ease your headache either.

Well, it had been a quiet day - _had_ being the operative word.

The shorter one, Sans, you guessed, trailed close behind him. His eye sockets were closed and he was wearing slippers..?

His hands remained hidden in the pockets of his jacket. He was walking in a much slower, nearly dragging pace, almost as if he were doing it on purpose. Something told you that maybe it was so that he could get another reaction from the other skeleton.

"ok." His voice was flat and as lazy as his walk, it held a dull and unexciting tone to it.

The lively monster, the one with the chipper voice, had already picked out a shopping cart and was walking with an incredible amount of vigor. You didn't fail to notice the spring in his step as he moved.

God, did his mood change fast.

"NOW'S NO TIME TO BE LAZY! THERE IS SHOPPING TO BE DONE, PASTA TO PURCHASE, PEOPLE TO IMPRESS!!"

It wasn't long before he disappeared between the aisles, rolling the cart along effortlessly. You couldn't help but find that impressing. His scarf floated behind him like a cape. He gave off an air of confidence you could only dream of having.

"ok." When his friend finally responded, the skeleton had already sprinted off ahead, out of sight. So it was clearly impossible for him to have heard that.

You couldn't really see the point of continuing on with the theatrics.

You were so fascinated and absorbed in your own little world that you barely registered the look the stout skeleton sent to your direction.

Blinking stupidly in reply was all you could do as you processed the horrible turn of events. It was as if the wheel of time had stopped spinning.

Umm..

_Shit._

You hadn't meant to daze off for so long.

It was probably rude, wasn't it?

Fuck, of course it was.

You wouldn't want a stranger eyeing you or your friend like a zoo exhibit, either.

You had to do something quick to get out of the sticky situation you had gotten yourself into.

You could feel a blush crawling up your neck.

Why was he not looking away?

_Why weren't you?_

You didn't like the way he was looking right through you. It made you shiver and left you with unease. He kept smiling too, like it was nothing, like what was happening at that instant wasn't alarming at all. You couldn't figure out whether he smiled like that all the time or if it was done on purpose to frighten you. The lights of his eye sockets were dim.

You wanted _out_.

You could feel the other cashier giving you the stink eye.

The stress was getting to you fast. Your poor sleep addled brain could only do so much.

"D-Do you need help with anything?" You finally forced out with much effort. It felt like speaking had become more difficult than you remembered it to be. You cringed at the stutter and how foreign your voice sounded to you.

And it was honestly such a stupid question to ask. You'd been working the register that day, you weren't allowed to leave your post. But you had to say something to break the unbearable silence.

The burning in your chest subsided and you could have sworn you saw his grin widen. The lights floating in his eye sockets studied you, with what you could only identify as amusement.

"nah. i'm good." The monotone act was long forgotten.

You could clearly discern the laugh in his voice.

Thankfully, the skeleton didn't hang around long enough to torment you more after that. He left shortly before you could have a mental breakdown. The moment had passed, all was fine with the world. You willed your heartbeat to return to a state of normalcy.

The next minutes ticked by much faster than you would have liked.

Your heart rate was picking up again. You could feel your heart pounding against your rib cage when a flash of blue caught the corner of your eye. It was that skeleton again.

He was holding a bunch of items in his arms, and some bags, which you recognized were from the produce section. You'd have suggested that a shopping basket would have made carrying all that much easier, but you didn't have _the guts_ at the moment.

Heh.

_Focus, _______._

It seemed like he wanted to check out. And much to your delight, he strode over to your counter and began setting his things down, one by one. Your first customer of the day and it was the person you had embarrassed yourself in front of.

Lady luck was on your side it seemed.

You counted one, two, three, four, five‒ just how many bottles of ketchup did a skeleton need?

The answer was _fifteen_.

You swallowed back your words and didn't question it. In turn, you offered what you _hoped_ passed off as a polite smile, and got to scanning each bottle individually. Lesson number one when working in retail, as you recalled, was that the customer was always right. That's what you remembered your boss telling you, at least.

You couldn't meet his eyes after that incident, so you tried to avoid eye contact as much as you could. There was the definite feeling of someone staring right at you though.

 _There was no need for you to get panicky, you were only doing your job._ If anything, it was his fault for acting so damn strange.

Was this how others felt whenever you were people watching? If so, you needed to cut off the habit, _for good_.

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

"knock knock."

This pulled you out of your trance. You sneaked a glance at the monster in front of you when you reached for the grocery bags. He was looking at you expectantly, probably waiting for a response.

Upon closer look, he wasn't so frightening. His stature wasn't as short as you had initially thought, and his bones were unlike those of a human skeleton. The fluorescent ceiling lights gave them an ethereal aura. You couldn't take him seriously though when his jacket was ridden with so many stains.

Had he.. Right, he was humoring you. You'd already made a fool of yourself once, so why not? You could play along.

Why the fuck not.

"Who's there?" Your voice wasn't as shaky as it had been moments ago.

His eye sockets crinkled and the lights in his eyes brightened up a bit. It was like he hadn't expected you to talk to him.

"banana." His voice was a deep rumble.

Much to your surprise, you found yourself letting your guard down. You could feel it in the way your shoulders relaxed.

You scanned the paper bag warily. "Banana who?"

By that point you were a hundred percent sure the smile on his face was a permanent grimace. The shit eating grin widened more, somehow. Just when you thought that was impossible.

"knock knock."

You raised an eyebrow, scanning yet _another_ bottle of ketchup in the process. Had he not already said that? Had you imagined it? You paid no mind to it, and instead you answered once more. "Who's there?"

"banana."

You furrowed your eyebrows in thought. "Banana who..?"

"knock knock." He repeated.. _again._

Alright, maybe you weren't hallucinating. He kept saying the exact sentences over and over again though. Was he broken? Was it all just a ruse to mess with you? If so, it wasn't funny.

"Who's there??"

"banana."

You were bemused, maybe a tad irritated. You wanted so much to just reach over and slap that smile off his face.

" _Banana who?_ " Your grin must have been a fixed grimace by that point, nearly mirroring the one he wore on his face.

The comedian, however, looked ecstatic at your reaction. "knock knock." He even did the knocking motion with his skeletal hand that time.

It was safe to say that you regretted talking to him. You made to pick the last item on the counter, it was another bag of groceries. You proceeded to scan said bag.

_Why were you even bothering with this?_

You let out a sigh in exasperation. "..Who's there?"

"orange."

That was different.

You raised an eyebrow, questioning him silently. You couldn't even form the question that time, the words were lost on your tongue. Confusion must have been evident on your face, judging by his joyous expression.

...

...

...

" _orange_ you glad i didn't say banana?"

It took a second or two to connect the dots. Realization flashed across your features in waves. This only served to amuse him more.

_Oh._

It's fair to say that the unattractive snort and the series of giggles that followed were unexpected. Not entirely unwelcome, just surprising. You weren't sure of the reason you were laughing. The joke was _terrible_ after all.

You blamed it on the lack of sleep that must've had impaired your thinking process.

It wasn't long until he joined you, his snickering turning quickly into full blown laughter, a hearty sound that reverberated through his chest.

You were still a giggling mess when he started talking again.

"knock.. knock." He sounded out of breath, which you thought was strange considering he probably didn't have any lungs.

You wiped a stray tear, wheezing slightly in the process. You weren't sure if you could handle another one. "W-Who's.. there?"

You were sure passersby, customers and staff alike, were looking at you weird. You acknowledged their presence, but you couldn't bring yourself to care.

"major." He sure was better than you at keeping himself composed.

You met his eyes for a moment, a laugh already building up in your throat. "Major who?"

" _major_ day with this joke, haven't i?"

He really had, surprisingly.

The laugh was short lived but you appreciated the joke nonetheless.

His grin seemed genuine, more relaxed. He looked relieved, even. You didn't know what to say so instead you assisted by helping him put the purchased items away.

"THERE YOU ARE!"

You weren't startled the second time around when the taller skeleton appeared, and you scanned the various pasta he had picked out.

"'sup, bro."

So they were related..? Made sense, you supposed. Explained the familiarity between them.

The taller one readjusted his scarf and turned to you. _The material must have been so soft to the touch._ Damn, you were getting sidetracked again. You couldn't keep your focus on a single thing for _one minute_.

His eyes were sparkling with adoration when they landed on you. _Were those actual stars?_

"YOU MADE A FRIEND?!?" It was more of a statement than a question, really. 

The brother was quick to counteract it. "uh, we're not-"

"WOWIE! I MUST CONGRATULATE YOU, HUMAN."

Wait, he was talking to _you?_ Why would he feel the need to congratulate you?

"FOR PUTTING UP WITH HIS ANTICS DURING MY ABSENCE, OF COURSE."

You wondered whether you had said that out loud or not. If so, you hadn't meant to.

You offered a shrug of your shoulders. "Don't mention it."

It turned out the overenthusiastic skeleton's name was Papyrus, well, _The Great Papyrus_ to be exact, but he'd insisted that friends needn't address him by the full title.

He'd been very insistent on inviting you over to taste the so called "friendship spaghetti" of his, making it very clear that it was a meal you shouldn't miss out on. He'd even called it a _once in a lifetime opportunity._ On the spur of the moment, you had accepted the invitation. You couldn't bring yourself to turn him down when he kept looking at you like that.

Sans had been watching carefully throughout the whole thing.

They left with Papyrus promising you they would be seeing you soon with dinner plans.

You never understood how monsters could be so quick to open up to strangers.

You wondered briefly if you'd stumble upon the two again in the future. Aspiring to have friends like them didn't seem so bad.

It struck you then that you hadn't even told them your name.

You hoped Papyrus stayed true to his word, at least.

And for once, you were glad you hadn't phoned in sick to work that day.


	3. Hottest Spot On The Block

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has followed the story and/or commented thus far!  
> I wasn't expecting there to be any kind of feedback.
> 
> Thank you for proving me wrong, and thank you for sticking around!!

Another cold gust of wind washed over you, making you huddle closer into yourself in a futile attempt to keep warm. Still, you continued to follow your friend to wherever she was taking you. It wasn't like you had much of a say in the matter anyways.

It had all started with Sophie dropping by to check on you. Before long, it had evolved into her lecturing you about how you needed to take care of yourself. By the end, she had successfully convinced you to take a shower and go out for drinks, suggesting it was better to mop around with friends than wallow alone in an empty apartment.

The first thing you noticed about the building was the neon sign by the door. You guessed that was the bar she had been telling you about. At first glance, the place didn't seem like much. Just an ordinary bar among many others. Sophie held the door open for you, and when she noticed your shivering, she gave a knowing look.

Once inside, the atmosphere was cozy and inviting. Monsters took up the majority, all differing in looks from one another. The patrons looked comfortable sitting in the booths, at the bar and the tables surrounding you. A few were playing a game of cards, some were drinking their sorrows away in a corner, while others were merely chatting away with friends. Not to mention the bartender was on _fire_. The flame elemental's movements were fluid as he moved behind the bar.

It was slightly crowded but you found yourself not minding much. It didn't look like there were any humans around, apart from you. You guessed it must have been a monster only bar then.

You hadn't realized the light and mellow feeling was gone until you could basically _feel_ the eyes fixed on your back.

A few made to get up; to leave, to kick _you_ out..? You weren't sure. The bartender stopped them before they could do much with a slight crackle of his flames. In turn, the monsters sat back down reluctantly, their eyes not leaving your form once.

Sophie was quick to notice the change in mood. She looked just as taken aback by the hostile behavior. "It's okay, guys. She's with me."

Their stares eased up, if only by a little, but the uncomfortable feeling in your gut didn't go away. It almost felt like you didn't belong there. Maybe it was true.

You joined your friend at the bar and sat on the stool next to her without making a sound.

You couldn't meet her eyes no matter how hard you tried.

While you couldn't blame them for acting like that, you couldn't help but feel like you had done something wrong. You knew firsthand how much of a pain humans could be at times. The reaction was justified, but still.

Sophie sent a sympathetic smile your way before she ordered for the both of you.

You were shrugging off your coat when you noticed the figure next to you. The blue jacket stood out to you, but the hood was up so you couldn't really see who it was. He looked familiar though.

Then it clicked with you, or maybe the skeletal hands gave him away.

"you really enjoy staring at people, huh?"

He was wearing that fake grin again. The dark circles under his eye sockets didn't go unnoticed, either.

"Sans, leave her alone. She's had a rough day." Sophie said.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude." Your answer was quick, the sentences chipped and rushed.

He might have seen the way your smile fell because his demeanor changed within seconds. "just messing with ya, kid."

The bartender set the order down in front of you, sending only a nod your way. You thanked him briefly and sipped at your drink.

"folks are still wary of humans. nothing personal. i'm sure you understand."

Not a word was uttered. Instead, you busied yourself with watching the liquid splash around inside the glass.

The mere thought of anyone giving trouble to such kind people made your stomach churn.

Someone called Sophie over. She excused herself, telling you she wouldn't be gone for long. You didn't miss the warning look she gave Sans before she left your side.

You took advantage of the opportunity to introduce yourself. "By the way," you offered a hand, "I'm _______."

He looked hesitant at first, but eventually gave in and shook your hand. "sans." His bones were warm to the touch, something you hadn't been expecting. He pulled away as if your hand had burned him. "papyrus keeps asking about you."

A fond smile tugged at your lips. "Papyrus is such a sweetheart."

Sans stopped mid sip to take a look at you, a hint of recollection in his eyes. His gaze was distant, you couldn't place what he was thinking. "you mean that?" He asked.

You nodded. "Of course. I would love to get to know him better."

The grip on his glass tightened a notch. "i don't get why you're so eager to be friends with him." If you concentrated hard enough, you could make out traces of resentment lacing through his words. It was a good thing you were so good at reading people, or else you wouldn't have picked up on it. "most humans would've..." You were quick to notice the way his voice dropped down in tone as he trailed off.

You felt something stir inside you at his words. "Just so you know, I'm not doing it out of pity. And I don't have any ulterior motive, either." You took a quick breath and cut him off when he was about to talk again. "Humans are assholes, and if they can't see how cool Papyrus is then it's their loss." You completed the last sentence on a whim, your voice not quivering once.

Okay, your outburst might have been a bit much, but him implying you were going to _hurt_ his brother? That was just insane. You never discriminated against anyone and always avoided conflict. Sure, you were merely a stranger to him and he had every right to be suspicious of you, but making assumptions like that was just wrong.

The wink that followed wasn't what you were expecting from him.

"what do you know? turns out you're not _that_ bad, after all." The look he was giving you was sincere. You could tell by the easy smile on his face that he wasn't joking around that time. It took a few seconds to realize he was referring to you.

It was odd, but you could tell the air wasn't as tense as it had been moments before.

You cleared your throat, deciding to change the subject. "So what's with you?"

He let out a hollow laugh, eyes drifting to the bottles lined up on the selves behind the bar. "eh, i'm just a little _bone_ -tired."

You hummed in acknowledgement. If he didn't want to tell you what was bothering him, you weren't going to pressure him into doing so. You were never one to pry into other people's problems anyways. After all, you had some secrets of your own you didn't want to share.

"To being.. bone-tired." You started, raising your glass.

"heh."

After clinking glasses together, you downed the rest of your drink. The hard liquor burned your throat and warmed your insides.

"Bartender's pretty _hot_ , huh?" You attempted to break the silence with a pun.

Grillby didn't miss that. He gestured to himself, his flames crackling softly. 

At least you got a giggle out of Sans. You were glad his mood was changing for the better.

"come on, grillbz. that was an _ice_ joke." Sans tapped the empty glass for added effect. The ice cubes clinked inside, emphasizing his point further.

"Just trying to _lighten_ the mood, that's all." You added, feeling proud of yourself for that one. Sans gave an appreciative laugh.

For a guy made of literal fire, Grillby was very expressive. He made his disapproval very clear, before wordlessly putting the glasses to the side to clean up later.

 

 

As it had turned out, magic infused alcohol didn't have good side effects on humans. And you had done _a lot_ of shots. You had lost count after the first three, but had no intentions of stopping. If the end goal was to get hammered, you were sure as hell gonna achieve that.

It was the sole reason you had agreed to get out of the house in the first place.

"buddy, you may wanna slow down."

"Don't wanna slow down." Your speech pattern was as sloppy as your movements. Unsure of what you were trying to say, you did some vague motion with your hand. "Grillby, do that thing that you do.. Do the magic."

"i think you've had enough."

The pout on your lips didn't stop Sans from snatching the beverage from your hands.

Most people had left by that point. The place was nearly empty except for a few stragglers like yourself. You couldn't concentrate or bother to check the time, but you were certain it was late. Honestly, you were surprised Grillby hadn't thrown you out yet.

You recognized Sophie talking to someone from the corner of your eye. You could tell she was worried by the way her eyebrows knitted together and her hands reached out to the person tentatively. They were about the same height, if only a bit shorter. Overall, a fresh face. You hadn't seen them before. They looked equally intoxicated as you, maybe more. You didn't realize they were approaching you until they were leaning against the bar.

They were whispering something to Sans, and judging by the way he flushed a light blue, you supposed it wasn't something innocent. You couldn't tell if he was blushing or if you were seeing things. Did skeletons blush blue?

Sadly, he recovered fast and greeted them back shortly before you could figure out the answer.

"some other time, bud."

The bunny looked disappointed, but followed Sophie to the door nevertheless. You overheard something about how she needed to make sure they got home safely.

Then, a wicked idea crossed your mind. There was a theory you needed to test out. By supporting your weight on the bar, you whistled to get Sans' attention. 

For the giggles.

Also, Grillby was refusing to serve any more alcohol, so you needed to do _something_ to pass the time. The boredom was starting to get to you.

" _Sansy_ , huh?" You bit the inside of your cheek to keep from bursting into laughter.

The skeleton next to you fumbled with the ketchup bottle he was holding. A few mumbled words came out of his mouth, but you didn't quite catch them.

Huh. So he _was_ blushing before. Interesting. 

It was getting hard to keep your snickering at bay. "Oh man, you're so _cute_."

Finally, "don't call me that."

"Why not?"

"because."

"You're changing colors."

"it's nothing."

"Sans, there's something on your face."

"don't worry about it."

"Here." You reached out a hand to wipe the blue dusting his cheekbones. "Lemme get it for you, _bud_."

He leaned away so far back you were actually concerned about him falling off the bar stool.

There was no fighting the laugh that spilled out of you that time.

 

 

You could hear the sound of passing cars in the distance from time to time. Other than that though, it was a relatively quiet night. The skeleton struggled to carry you. You couldn't make out most of what he was saying.

Something about home.

And not letting go..?

You blinked and you were in different place. It was pitch black. Everything was blurry. The room was spinning around you.

You were still clinging onto him, your hand holding onto his jacket like a lifeline. Your fingers curled on the fabric, unwilling to let go. Finally, you felt the grip loosen and someone set you down.

It took a great amount of strength to keep your eyes open, to remain alert. After a while, you allowed yourself to drift away, feeling heavy. The blanket that was draped over your form was warm and comforting. The faint smell of laundry detergent lingered on it.

A blue haze was the last thing you saw before sleep took you.


	4. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you wake up in an unfamiliar house and a series of shenanigans occur.

Sans watched as his brother rang the doorbell to Undyne and Alphys's apartment for what felt like the billionth time in a row. Every time Papyrus didn't get an answer, he paused took a deep breath and pressed the button on the intercom with much more enthusiasm than before. He found it strange, how his brother could have so much energy at times like these.

It was simply too early. The sun hadn't even come out yet.

Sans had a feeling that Undyne would be pissed once she'd woken up.

As he leaned against the red convertible parked on the side of the road, the skeleton allowed his thoughts to wander.

He took note of the cold breeze running through the pile of autumn leaves on the pavement.

Truth be told he didn't mind cold weather in the slightest. For the longest time he had to put up with Snowdin's harsh neverending winter. Those days seemed so far away at the moment.

Three years, three _goddamn_ years had passed and not a single reset had happened. The whole scenario felt like a dream: a dream that felt too good to be true. Although he didn't want to admit, sometimes on sleepless nights, he'd wish they were back Underground. Down where things were predictable, and nothing was out of the ordinary. He remembers being Underground and wanting - no - downright wishing for the kid to give up and let them live their lives Aboveground, like they were always supposed to.

As it had turned out though, the surface wasn't all that great once they had managed to hang around long enough without Frisk resetting. And the current news of monster disappearances terrified him to no end.

Remembering the main reason he tagged along with Papyrus in the first place, he darted a quick look around the empty street.

No human in sight.

_Good._

At last, the door to the house swung open and a pissed off, very disheveled Undyne stood on the doorstep where Papyrus was only seconds earlier. Sans sighed internally, _thank the stars, finally._

After a brief lasting glaring contest, the fish lady gave in and stood aside to let Papyrus in. She gave Sans a look, and raised an eyebrow, questioning him silently if he wanted to come in.

"got something to take care of first. watch over him for me, won't you?"

Undyne was confused but didn't question him further. With a nod, and a quick goodbye, she slipped back inside, hugging her robe tightly to her frame.

Then, after checking around the house one last time for good measure, Sans teleported away.

 

The following morning, (or was it evening? you couldn't tell for sure) you were awoken by the distinctive sound of rain against the roof. From the sound of it, it seemed it was pouring down quite heavily. You blinked your eyes open only to find yourself in an unfamiliar living room.

You groaned after a futile attempt to get up. God, your head felt like it had been hit ten times over with a hammer. In an attempt to brush off the feeling, you closed your eyes and leaned your head back against the arm of the couch. Then, you took a few moments to remember what led you to such a peculiar situation.

Ah, yes. You had gotten drunk and Sans had carried you.. somewhere. The details were kind of fuzzy towards the end of the night. At least Sans had the courtesy to not leave you on the curb.

Still, the room around you was too dark to even attempt to figure out where you were exactly. The lack of light coming from outside didn't do much in terms of helping you take in your surroundings. It was a good thing your eyes were starting to adjust to the dim lighting, because with all that squinting they were starting to hurt.

A small piece of paper caught your eye on the coffee table not too far away from where you sat on the couch. Alongside it, there was a glass of water and some aspirin. You made a mental note to thank Sans later for that.

Even after taking the painkillers and downing the glass of water that had been provided for you, you still felt like crap. So you sighed, and reached for the note.

But then your smile fell, and instead your lips turned downwards into a pout.

Never in your life had you seen a sloppier handwriting than this.

Your eyes strained to read the words. The fact that you had to go over some a couple of times to understand each sentence fully didn't help much either. Not to mention the writing was so damn messy.

The worn out blanket was hanging loosely from your shoulders, doing a bad job in keeping you warm. You couldn't bother to fix it at this point, too frustrated with the piece of paper in your hands.

...

The note's edges were crumbled by that point. You could barely resist the urge to make it into a paper ball and throw it far away.

You nearly growled in frustration when you managed to decipher it.

"All that for a cellphone number.. Really, Sans?" You mumbled under your breath.

Why would he write down a cellphone number of all things?

You pulled the blanket off of you and reached around in the dark for your cell, doing your best to ignore the throbbing of your skull. You double checked the number for good measure and swiped at the screen. It rang once, twice, and whoever picked up on the other end, hung up almost instantly.

You were puzzled, to say the least.

The suddeness of a door opening and closing upstairs cut through the silence, immediately alerting you. The figure that appeared in the hallway, however, caused you to sigh in relief.

Finally, you could get some answers. Maybe ask him to give you a ride home or something. Or just thank him and leave. That'd work too.

His steps were slow and eyes half lidded. His appearance too was unkept, but that was understandable since he looked like he might have been sleeping. There was something strangely attractive in the way he leaned against the staircase railing and attempted to rub the sleep from his eyes.

...

Hold up.

_Attractive?_

That shouldn't have had _that_ much of an effect on you.

"like what you see?"

How did he know what you were thinking? Was he a mind reader? Was that another one of the skeleton monster quirks? 

In an attempt to brush off the fluttering feeling in your chest, you broke eye contact and shook your head no, in an attempt to brush off the awkwardness as well.

"is that a no?"

You remained silent. God, you could hear the smugness in his voice.

Of course your staring wouldn't go unnoticed. Since when have things gone your way?

You cleared your throat, in a feeble attempt to regain composure. The fact that his voice was raspy from sleep didn't make the situation any better either. But it wasn't as if you were going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he caught you off guard. 

"you're looking pretty _red_ down there. you feeling okay, buddy?"

How on earth--

"I'm _fine_. And, just to make things clear, I wasn't checking you out or anything. I'm not a creep," you stood your ground valiantly.

To your displeasure, he didn't look convinced with your answer, and for good reason probably. At times like these, you wished you were a better liar.

He rested his chin on the palm of his hand and winked at you in a playful manner.

"hey, you said it, not me."

If he wanted to be smug about it, fine. Two could play at that game.

Better take the opportunity to strike before you forgot the witty comeback. You sat up straighter.

"But even if I were checking you out, can you _really_ blame me?" you asked, feeling rather bold for once.

Whatever you said, did quite a number on him. Sans looked surprised for a second, curious even, to see where you were going with that train of thought. His silence only spurred you on.

The smirk crept up on your lips before you could stop it. "You're such a handsome bag of _bones_ , after all."

You'd be lying if you said you didn't feel a little proud when the stupid grin on his face got bigger.

"jeez, kid. at least take me to dinner first."

"Thanks for last night, and you know, for all of this.." You made out, quickly, changing the topic way too fast than you would've liked.

Luckily, he didn't seem to notice which was fine in your book.

In fact he hadn't made a peep in a while, which was odd. 

Also, why did the room feel so cold all of the sudden? A feeling of dread hit you when you glanced at where he'd been standing and he wasn't there.

But he was right there a moment ago, wasn't he? You'd only taken your eyes off him for a second.

"..Sans?" You called out, seemingly to no one.

No response.

The silence was nearly deafening.

"If this is another one of your pranks.."

No matter how much you tried, you got no answer back. If you concentrated hard enough you could make out the rapid beat of your pulse against your throat.

"Damn it, Sans. This isn't funny." You tried again in the most assertive voice you could muster, considering the circumstances.

Then, as if on cue, you felt the air shift behind you. You jumped so much you nearly fell off the couch and out of your skin. Thankfully, you held on at the last minute and didn't tumble over like an idiot.

The air was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"boo." The voice was a deep whisper, blown directly at your ear.

It made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and the breath catch in your throat.

You released the breath you'd been holding as soon as you turned around and laid eyes on him. Luckily for him, he grabbed your wrist before your hand could strike across his face. 

"Wh-What the hell, Sans? Where did you come from?!" You nearly screeched at him, your frustration and fear getting the best of you.

The corners of his smile curled involuntarily, and a laugh escaped him, despite his futile efforts to hold it in. He nearly doubled over when you scowled at him.

When his laughter died down, he whistled out a breath from between his teeth. "damn. i wasn't expecting you to lash out at me like that."

You huffed and tugged on your hand that was still trapped in his tight vice.

"oh shit. right." With that he let you go, though he looked uncertain about doing so, possibly out of fear you were going to try to hit him again.

You crossed your arms and locked your gaze with his. "You can't just appear out of _thin air_! You scared me! What was I supposed to do? I didn't wanna do that, obviously, but you left me no choice. It's a good thing I missed."

"you didn't miss. i _dodged_ it," he said in a very matter of factly manner, the edges of his smile stretching. _The smug bastard_ , he was way too full of himself.

"Whatever," you muttered and looked to the side, defeated and utterly at a loss.

Damn, your face felt as if it were on fire. Also, since when was breathing ever a problem? You didn't remember it being that much of a deal before. Gosh, was his plan to make you have a heart attack or something?

The only thing you could do was hope you didn't look as ridiculous as you felt.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that," you concluded simply, your voice steadier than it was moments ago. You stole a glance at him. 

He had the nerve to grin. _Fucking asshole._

"wanna see something cool?"

The next word spilled out of you almost instantly, "No."

If he was going to pop out of existence one more time you were going to lose it.

He didn't like your answer but that didn't stop him from showing you his magic trick anyway. He was already too hyped to back down anyway.

Before you could think the weird antics were over, he did a motion with his left hand and cut some kind of doorway into the air (if one could even call it a doorway), it looked more like a black hole. So out of place and so unsettling all at once. You couldn't see what was over on the other side. The endless pitch black seemed to be staring back at you in an intimidating way. You pondered what it would be like to step into the void.

Just then he took a step towards it and the black swallowed him up until he was completely out of sight.

Just like that, he was gone.

Again.

You didn't jump the second time around when he appeared next to you. He stepped out of the makeshift doorway and sealed it up behind him before turning to you with a joyous expression.

"cool, huh?"

In a weird way he reminded you of a child when he acted like that.

You were at a loss of words. "I don't know.. how to feel.. about that.. It's cool, I guess, yeah... When were you going to tell me you could _teleport_ , of all things?"

God, did your mood change fast.

"i wasn't," he admitted bluntly, and you smacked his arm for that.

Luckily for you, he wasn't quick enough to dodge _that_ time.

He didn't look fazed at all, or even the tiniest bit surprised by the action. Had you even hurt him? Judging by the questioning look and tilt of his skull, you guessed not. He put on a show by scrunching up his face as if he were in pain while he nursed his elbow in an overdramatic manner.

"ouch. what'd you do that for?" he whimpered in a high pitched tone, in a way that was so obviously fake and exaggerated. "anything but my funny _bone_."

You couldn't resist the urge to roll your eyes at him. "You think you're real funny, don't you?"

In spite of it all, you found yourself smiling like an idiot.

"c'mon, you're smiling." He teased, his voice returning to its normal tone.

"Don't do that again," you grumbled, inching away from the skeleton. He was so unpredictable you had no idea what he was bound to do next. Better to be safe than sorry, as they said.

"don't do what? the jokes or the teleportation part?"

You thought about the question for a second or two, before coming to a conclusion. "Both."

Sans merely beamed at you in return and moved around the couch to face you properly.

"no promises," he said, before sending another perfectly timed wink your way.

You pretended to ignore that, and in turn continued on, "I mean, I _guess_ the teleportation part is kinda cool.." You could give him that at least.

He hummed and seemed to be contemplating something. No matter what, you couldn't get a clear read on him. What he was thinking, his next move, anything. There was a definite shroud of mystery surrounding him. He was so hard to understand at times. And you'd only known him for like, a day or two. You hoped you could be friends with him though. He sure was fun to have around, despite all the crap he pulled.

Just then, his phone buzzed, breaking off the daze you were in. When he pulled it out of his pocket to look at the notification, he raised a brow and then proceeded to text back, a fond smile playing on his face as he eyed the screen.

He paused as he read through the text, and the faintest trail of sweat began to form on the temple of his forehead.

"..shit," he cursed under his breath.

You shifted your weight on the couch, all attention on him. "What is it?"

He plopped down heavily next to you, looking at nothing. You stared at him, feeling more confused as each second passed.

Still, you tried your best to keep your eyes focused on him as he fumbled with his phone. "Did something happen?"

"it's nothing," he chuckled, somewhat nervously. "don't think about it too much."

Your lips pressed together in a tight line. " _Sans._ "

"that's my name, don't wear it out."

You made to speak again but decided against it. From the looks of it, there was no way you were going to get an answer out of him. It seemed he was just going to keep stonewalling you.

His eyes shifted between you and the long forgotten blanket on your lap. "you sleep okay?"

Ever so eager to change the subject, huh.

You bit the inside of your cheek and furrowed your brow, now starting to get a little worried. Whatever it was it must have been pretty bad for him to lose his cool like that. Maybe you could give it one last try.

"You didn't answer my question."

He broke into a grin just then. But unlike the others, that particular one seemed too forced to be genuine. "what question?"

So he _was_ going to play _that_ game.

Fine then.

If he wanted to keep dodging questions you could let him do just that.

Maybe it was best to drop the subject for the time being. You averted your gaze and started drawing invisible patterns on the woolen material of the blanket while you mapped out your thoughts. He could tell you later if he wanted to.

"Anyways, thanks for letting me stay the night. I mean it. Haven't met a lot of people willing to do that."

He sneaked a glance at you when he thought you weren't paying attention before reclining back into a more comfortable position. "you were pretty out of it, y'know."

You bit your lip and glanced at him. "Oh?"

"last night. you passed out on the couch as soon as i brought you here."

"I didn't mention or do anything weird, did I?"

"not really, no." Was all he said, in a flat tone.

You furrowed your brow, before giving him a once over.

"I didn't puke on you, did I?"

A snort, followed by light snickering. "nah."

You had to fight the urge to keep from smiling at his reaction.

His elbow grazed yours, only for a moment, and your heart thrummed in response at the touch.

"Mhm. Glad to hear that," you mumbled. "That would've been awful."

He in turn sank back into the couch, an easy going smile gracing his features.

"you did get pretty clingy though--"

_Oops._

There was that hint of embarrassment creeping up again. Wondered where that had gone off to.

"..Sorry about that." 

"--and you owe me a jacket," he continued.

"Why? What happened to your jacket?"

He turned on his side to look at you. "you drooled all over it, that's what happened. thanks for that, by the way."

You laughed and mirrored his movements. "No way! I don't drool. Besides, even if I did, can't you just wash it?"

He shrugged in response. "nope. too much work."

"How is that too much work? Just put it in the washing machine."

"ehhh i don't do laundry."

It would explain the dirty stains on his clothes. Things were finally starting to make sense suddenly.

You rolled your eyes at him. "Figures."

He scoffed at you, "what's that supposed to mean?"

You merely smiled at that, "It means that you're a _slob_."

He was about to say something but paused for a second to steal a glance at you. His gaze lingering longer than you would've liked. "i think it's kinda cute."

You tilted your head at him, the smile spreading across your face. "What, the fact that you're a slob?"

He chuckled at your reply. "no. the fact that you wouldn't let go." he clarified. "i guess i can forgive ya for drooling on me."

There was no way he was being sincere.

At first, it didn't register with you. When it did though..

"Are _you_ hitting on _me_ now?" You raised an eyebrow.

"no. but even if i were, can you _really_ blame me?"

To think he would even go as far as to throw your words back at you..

If he noticed the way your cheeks flared up, he didn't comment on it.

"Keep that up and I might start falling for you."

He did, however, clear his throat and avert his gaze to the side as soon as those words left you.

You could only hope you hadn't made him feel uncomfortable with the remark. At the end of the day, you were merely joking around, after all.

Besides, catching feelings would end up doing more bad than good for the both of you. And it wasn't like you were attracted to him or anything. I mean, sure, Sans was charming and all, and had a nice laugh, but that was all really.

Why were you thinking about it in such great detail anyway?

"so." He cleared his throat quickly, bringing you back to reality. "want me to take you home? i know a shortcut." There was something akin to amusement lacing his words.

You could only pray that by shortcut he meant an actual shortcut and not the black void of death he had shown you earlier. There was no way in hell you were stepping into that.

But alas, you needed to get home. You had probably overstayed your welcome anyway.

"Yeah, of course.." You made to get up, but the movement made your stomach churn. Reluctantly, you sat back down.

"Sorry, but can you give me a minute? I think I'm gonna get sick." You heaved out a sigh and brought your knees up to rest your head on them.

"sure. take your time."

You were glad he was so understanding and patient with you.

After that, you stayed silent, just basking in each other's company, with you trying to get a grip and him looking up at the ceiling. You hadn't felt that comfortable around someone in a long time. It was a strange feeling, and the more you thought about it, the more difficult you found it to describe.

He kept sneaking glances at you every now and then.

Part of you was hoping he wouldn't.

You pretended not to notice and hugged the blanket closer, reveling in its warmth, all the while hoping that your stomach would feel normal again soon so you could get out of this house and back to your abode, where you could sleep all of it off and forget about the world for a little while.

The first flickers of light coming in through the window bounced off the walls, giving the room around you a soft glow. It suddenly hit you how exhausted you were still feeling.

Sneaking a peek at the skeleton next to you, you noticed that his eyesockets were steadily closing. The sigh that left him next was heavy and drawn out.

You wondered if he was feeling tired too. He certainly looked like it. Though in that moment, with his eyes closed and the early morning light haloing around him, one could say he was at peace.

"Hey, Sans," you whispered in a soft voice, not wanting to disturb him too much. He hummed in response, letting you know he was listening. "I can wash your jacket, if you want."

A small, appreciative smile crossed his face though his eyes remained closed. "sure," he drawled, "you do owe me after all."

You smiled back at him. "It's a deal then."

...

Wait.. Had he fallen asleep?

There was no way he had just fallen asleep like that.

You watched the rhythmic rising and fall of his chest with fascination, your own eyelids drooping ever so slightly. The steady sound of his breathing was enough to lull you to sleep.

Inhale. Exhale. Over and over again, the cycle repeated endlessly.

You huddled closer to his form and tried to relax just for a minute. He smelled of ketchup, and pine trees and maybe the tiniest hint of cologne, which oddly enough suited him perfectly.

You would have noticed the way he cracked open an eyesocket to check up on you hadn't you been already fast asleep when he had done so.

Sans pondered about nudging you awake for a short while, but decided against it.

 _A quick nap wouldn't hurt_ , he thought. God knows he needed it.

So he readjusted the blanket by pulling it over your form, before drifting off to sleep himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gosh, i'm sorry for not posting in so long. i was busy with other things, and i guess i kind of forgot.
> 
> the story's still in progress though, i haven't given up on it just yet!
> 
> so expect more chapters soon (i'll be updating every two weeks or so)
> 
> (also please tell me if there are any typos or mistakes, i've reread it too many times now and can't tell anymore. the fact that i don't have a beta doesn't help either)


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